One of wrestlings most popular and fan favorite is the Undertaker. The Undertaker began his career in 1984 with World Class Championship Wrestling. In 1989 he joined WCW. He finally joined the WWF in 1990 as a member of 'Ted Dibiase's' million dollar team and was a heel the first couple of years. His character appeared as a mortician from the old western days who possessed some magical like powers. In 1992 when Jake "the Snake" Roberts lost to Randy "Macho Man" savage on Saturday Nights Main Event, Jake tried to attack Macho Mans manager Elizabeth with a steel chair. Undertaker did not let this happen and thus became a face. Undertaker was managed for many years by Paul Bearer until Paul betrayed him in 1996 in a match against Mankind. He feuded during his years with top wrestling superstars such as Stoned Cold, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michael's and Kane, who would later be revealed as his story line brother. In 1999 Undertaker had a groin injury that put him out of action for about a year but when he returned in 2000 at Judgement day his character was changed to an intimidating tough biker type guy. In 2003 Undertaker lost a buried alive match and disappeared for a while, Kane claimed that Undertaker was gone forever. At Wrestlemania XX Undertaker returned, using the old school deadman persona again and defeated Kane. On Smackdown he then had some feuds with Randy Orton and JBL and Mr. Kennedy. On May 11th of Smackdown Undertaker was in a steel cage match with Batista which resulted in both men's feet landing outside of the ring at the same time, Mark Henry then came and assaulted Undertaker. Edge, who had the money in the bank ticket saw this as a good opportunity to challenge the champ for the title and went in and speared Undertaker, covered him and became the new World Heavyweight Champion. Undertaker has been gone since then. Mark Henry started taunting Undertaker about coming back to face him. In September of 2007 at 'Unforgiven' Undertaker returned and beat Mark Henry. On 12-14-07 at Armageddon Undertaker had a chance to regain his world heavyweight championship as he competed in a triple threat match against Batista and Edge. Edge, using many tricks in the match ended up taking the title and becoming the new champion. Batista lost his title and Undertaker lost this opportunity after Edge snuck over and was ringing the matches bells, thus fooling Undertaker about what was going on. Undertaker then started feuding with Big Daddy V and Mark Henry. At Wrestlemania XXIV the Undertaker once again captured the world heavyweight championship as he beat Edge and continued his perfect Wrestlemania streak which went to 16-0. On April 27, 2008 at Backlash Edge got his rematch opportunity but was unsuccessful as the Undertaker used his triangle chokehold to defend his title.On the May 2, 2008 edition of SMACKDOWN Vickie Guerrero announced that the Undertaker is being stripped of his World Heavyweight Title for using an illegal move on opponents. She said the triangle chokehold was not to be used again. She also said that he will have another opportunity at the title when he battles Edge at Judgment Day and if he loses, he will be banished from the WWE forever.. Undertaker ended up losing the match at Judgment day and Edge became the World Heavyweight Champion with lots of outside interference help from Ryder, Hawkins, Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neely. Since he lost, Undertaker was banished from the WWE.
The news of Undertakers returning to the WWE happened on the July 25, 2008 edition of Smackdown. Vickie Guerrero, who is the one who banished Undertaker in the first place, reinstated him and said that he will make his return at Summerslam. She did this out of spite toward her new husband Edge after she found out he was cheating on her.
On August 17, 2008 the Undertaker made his return. He fought Edge at Summerslam 2008 in a Hell in a Cell match. The Undertaker was victorius in his return and ended the match by giving Edge the Tombstone and then got the cover and the win.
On September 7, 2008 at Unforgiven while Vickie Guerrero was in the ring the Undertaker went into the ring to take her to hell. He had promised that she would be leaving in a coffin. Big Show was already in the ring as he was complaining to Vickie that she did not include him in the Smackdown scramble match. As Undertaker made his way to the ring Big Show held Vickie Guerrero in the ring. As Undertaker was about to grab Vickie the Big Show shocked everyone when he punched the Undertaker and gave him a brutal beating. Big Show even held the Undertaker up so that Vickie could slap him and spit on him. Little did everyone know that there was a truce going on between Vickie Guerrero and the Big Show. Big Show would protect her and take Smackdown to where she wanted it to go and she would help him get the WWE title.
On the September 19, 2008 edition of Smackdown members of La Familia kept playing on a monitor the footage of Unforgiven when the Big Show destroyed the Undertaker and kept laughing about it. Toward the end of Smackdown as Chavo Guerrero was watching it alone the television monitor went to static and the Undertaker appeared on the screen. The Undertaker's music sounded and a hand, the Undertaker's was shown grabbing Chavo around his neck.
The next week on Smackdown Big Show, Vickie and Chavo called out the Undertaker from inside of the ring. The light went out, then back on and all of a sudden the Undertaker was giving a beating to Chavo Guerrero backstage. The Big Show then raced out of the ring and headed backstage to help Chavo. This left Vickie alone in the ring and the lights went out again, then back on. When they came back on the Undertaker was standing behind Vickie in the ring. Undertaker ended Smackdown by giving her a Tombstone Piledriver.
The stage was all set at No Mercy on October 5, 2008 where the Undertaker and the Big Show squared off. Unfortunately for the Undertaker he lost the match when Big Show delivered a knock out punch to Undertaker in the back of his head. On the October 10, 2008 edition of Smackdown, Undertaker would get somewhat revenge though as he interrupted a WWE championship match between Big Show and Triple H. As Big Show looked like he may win the match the lights went out and Undertaker attacked Show.
On the October 24, 2008 edition of Smackdown, the Undertaker would battle Triple H for the WWE title but there was no decision in the match as it was interupted by the Big Show.
A rematch was set for another Undertaker-Big Show match at Cyber Sunday. The WWE fans got to vote what kind of match it would be. Their choices were either a Knock Out match, a Last Man Standing match or a I Quit match. The WWE fans voted for a Last Man Standing match and Undertaker was the last man standing as he won the match.
Once again Undertaker would battle Big Show at Survivor Series in a Casket Match. The Undertaker was able to get the Big Show in the casket but had a hard time closing it on the big guy. Finally with Show in it, the casket fell and the lid shut as the Undertaker won the match.
On February 15, 2008 the Undertaker would take part in Smackdown's Elimination Chamber match for the WWE title. The match took place at No Way Out and featured the WWE champion Edge, Big Show, Vladimir Koslov, Jeff Hardy, Triple H and of course the Undertaker. The match went down to only the Undertaker and Triple H. Triple H was able to hit the Pedigree and get the cover on the Undertaker to win the match and the WWE title.
On April 5th, 2009 at Wrestlemania 25 the Undertaker battled Shawn Michaels. Michaels would try to end the streak and prevent Undertaker from going 17-0 at Wrestlemania events. Unfortunately for him he was no different from the last 16 men who have faced the Undertaker at Wrestlemania as Undertaker ended the match after catching Michaels during an attempt at a Moonsault. This led to a Tombstone Piledriver by Taker who got the pin and improved to 17-0. The streak stood alive.
After months and months away fromwrestling the Undertaker made a surprising return on August 23, 2009 at Summerslam. The World Heavyweight championship match that evening featured Jeff Hardy defending against CM Punk in which Punk won thus becoming the new champ. After the match had ended, CM Punk stood triumphantly over the fallen Jeff Hardy on the mat. Suddenly, the arena went dark with the Undertaker's bells sounding. As the lights came on again, it was Undertaker laying in Jeff Hardy's spot with Jeff nowhere to be seen. Taker grabbed Punk by the throat and then delivered the Chokeslam to close out Summerslam with a bang.
Undertaker made his return to Smackdown on September 4, 2009. After CM Punk had been Disqualified during a match with Matt Hardy the lights went out and the Undertaker's bell tolled. All of a sudden, the lights came back with Taker standing right near CM Punk. Punk was shocked and ran right into Undertaker who grabbed him and chokeslammed him right through the commentator's table. Smackdown ended with Taker standing over a fallen World Champion CM Punk, right before Undertaker's pyro went off.
Undertaker Facts:
Birth Name: Mark William Callaway
Birth Date: March 24, 1965
Height: 6' ft 10' inch
Nickname: The Dead Man - The Phenom
Finishing Move: Tombstone Piledriver - The chokeslam
Undertaker is 17-0 during Wrestlemania events.
